Colombia marched into the quarter-finals of the Copa America on Friday with a confident 3-0 victory over Costa Rica in Arizona. Goals from Luis Diaz, Davinson Sanchez and Jhon Cordoba sealed all three points for the Colombians, who are now guaranteed a top-two finish in Group D. Colombia will qualify for the quarter-finals as group winners if they can secure at least a point against Brazil — a 4-1 winner over Paraguay in Friday’s other Copa contest — in their final group game next Tuesday.

The Colombians will head into that game brimming with confidence after extending their unbeaten streak to 25 games at Glendale’s State Farm Stadium on Friday.

Nestor Lorenzo’s well-organised side have not lost since a defeat to Argentina in February 2022, and never looked in danger of changing that Friday.

Liverpool star Diaz opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 31st minute after Costa Rica goalkeeper Patrick Sequeira inexplicably crashed into Cordoba on the edge of the area.

Diaz stepped up to smash an emphatic spot-kick into the top corner.

Colombia almost doubled their tally on 37 minutes, with veteran midfielder James Rodriguez picking out Diaz at the back post.

Diaz poked a cross into the six-yard area but center-back Sanchez just couldn’t get a touch to guide the ball into the net.

Sanchez made no such mistake in the 59th minute, however, as he glanced in Jhon Arias’s cross from the left to make it 2-0.

Cordoba then grabbed Colombia’s third on 62 minutes with the best goal of the game.

An exquisite through ball from Rodriguez split the Costa Rica defence and sent Cordoba racing in on goal, with the 31-year-old whipping a shot across goal into the far corner.

Brazil winner in Vegas

In Las Vegas, the Brazilians — coming off a 0-0 draw with Costa Rica — jumped to a 3-0 halftime edge over Paraguay on the way to victory after squandering a golden chance to open the scoring.

Paraguay’s Adrian Cubas, who would receive a red card in the 81st minute, committed a foul in the penalty area, but Brazil’s Lucas Paqueta missed from the spot in the 31st minute.

But Paqueta delivered an assist to set up Vincius Junior’s goal in the 35th minute that gave Brazil a 1-0 lead.

Savinho doubled Brazil’s lead with a goal in the 43rd minute and Vincius Junior gave Brazil a 3-0 half-time lead in the fifth minute of stoppage time, racing in behind the play and delivering a right-footed shot just inside the left post.

Paraguay answered in the 48th minute on a goal by Omar Alderete but Paqueta scored on a redemption penalty kick in the 65th minute for a 4-1 Brazil lead and that’s how it finished.

James Rodriguez rolled back the years with a vintage performance to help Colombia open their Copa America campaign with a 2-1 victory over Paraguay in Houston on Monday. Rodriguez, whose club career has languished in the decade since he rose to prominence with a dazzling performance at the 2014 World Cup, created both of his team’s goals in a deserved Group D victory at the NRG Stadium. The 32-year-old midfielder, who has played just a handful of minutes for Brazilian club Sao Paulo in the two months leading into the Copa America, set up the opening goal for Colombia in the 32nd minute.

After finding space on the left flank, Rodriguez flighted a pinpoint cross to the far post to pick out Daniel Munoz, who beat Paraguay goalkeeper Rodrigo Morinigo with a firm downward header to make it 1-0.

Ten minutes later Colombia doubled their lead and again it was a goal engineered by the trusty left boot of Rodriguez.

This time the goal arrived from the opposite flank, with Rodriguez swinging in a wicked free-kick that was glanced in by Crystal Palace midfielder Jefferson Lerma.

That made it 2-0 at half-time to leave Colombia firmly on course to extend their unbeaten streak to 24 games.

Colombia continued to carve out the better chances in the second half, but Paraguay set up a nervy finish after Brighton and Hove Albion’s Julio Enciso pulled one back in the 69th minute.

Ramon Sosa crossed from the left and Enciso punished slack marking in the Colombia area to hook an angled first-time volley into the bottom corner past Camilo Vargas.

Colombia, however, controlled play after the Paraguay goal and looked the more threatening team.

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The Colombians thought they had earned a penalty in the 84th minute when another teasing Rodriguez cross into the box ended with defender Yerry Mina appearing to be hauled down by Gustavo Velazquez.

Argentinian referee Dario Herrera pointed to the spot but subsequently overturned the decision after a VAR review.

Colombia play Costa Rica in their second group game of the tournament on Friday, before wrapping up their first round campaign against Brazil on July 2.

Brazil open their Copa America campaign against the Costa Ricans in Inglewood, California, later on Monday.